Cotton-harvester.



W. H. HBFFLEY. ooTToN HARVESTER. APPLICATION FILED MAY 12. 19A-1l. 1,095,572, Patented May 5, 1914 6 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

W.. H. HBFFLBY. GOTTONBARVESTER. APPLICATION FILED MAY 12, 191.1. 1,095,572. Patented May 5, 1914.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

W. H.'HEFPLEY. COTTON HARVESTER. APPLICATION FILED MAY 12, 1911.

Patented May 5, 1914.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

W. H. HEFFLEY. COTTON HARVESTER.

APPLICATION FILED NH12, 1911A 1,095,572. Patented May 5, 1914.

e SHEETS-SHEET 4.

GID@

W. H. HBPELBY.` COTTON HARVESTER.

APPLICATION FILED MAY l2, 1911.

I Pan-,Emea May 5, 1914.

e SHEETS-SHEET 5.

W. H. HEFFLEY.

COTTON HARVESTER.

APPLICATION FILED nu 12, 1911.

Patented May 5, 1914.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 6,

UNITED Y STATI-is PATENT onirica.

WI'LLIAM H. HEFFLEY, or CHICKA'SHA, oKLAHoMA; AssreNoii or ONE-HALF To'.

SAMUEL N. JOHNSON, or eRAciiMoNT, oxnAHoMA.

correre-HARVESTER..

' Patented May 5, i914.

Application ined May 12, eii. serial No. 626.787.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM H. HEFFLEY, citizen of the United States, residing at Chickasha, in the county of Grady and State of Oklahoma, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cotton-Harvesters, of which the following is a specification.

This' invention relates to cotton harvesters and has for its object to provide a self` propelled machine adapted to be guided over a field and provided with carriages adapted to hold operators who present. the cotton bolls to picking devices whereby the cotton 'is quickly removed from the bolls. The Inachine is designed to operate simultaneously upon four` rows of plants and thecotton as it is removed from, the bolls is carried by a suction draft means into a f eeder from which it is passed into a giu where the fiber is removed from the seed. From the gin the'seed enters a conveyer which carries the same to one side of the frame of the gin stand where' it may be bagged oi deposited in suitable receptacles. From the gin the cotton fiber passes into a condenser which forms the same into a continuous hat. Immediately back of the condenser, is located a vertically swinging press into which the hat is passed whereby the'bat is positioned in the press in vertical folds,v

- and when a sutlicient quantity has' been accumulated it may be secured by bale bands and ties s o that when the staple is delivered from the machine it is in a bale in which it may be easily and conveniently handled for transportation and other purposes.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a vertical elevation of the'cotton harvester viewing the same at one side; Fig. 2 is a similar view of the harvester viewing the .same at the opposite side; Figj is a top plan view of the harvester; Fig. 4 is a rear oud elevation of the harvester Fig. 5 is a front .end elevation of the same; Fig. 6 isa vertical longitudinal sectional view of the same cut on the line 6-6- of Fig. 3; Fig. 7 is a transverse sectional view of the frame cut on the line 7-7 of Fig. 1; Fig. 8 is a horizontal sectional view of cotton pulling devices used upon the harvester; Fig. 9 is a longitudinal sectional view of one of the said devices cut on the line 9-9 of Fig. 8; Fig. 10 is a transverse sectional .View of one of the said picking devices cut on the line 10-10 of Fi 8. .Corresponding and like parts are referredi to .'in the following description and indicated in-'all the views of thedrawing by the same reference characters. 4

The cotton harvester includes a. platform 1 which is mounted at its rear end upon traction 'wheels .2 and at its forward end portroni' upon dirigible wheels 3. An engine 4: is mounted upon the frame 1 and constitutes the source of power that operates all ofthe cotton handling parts of the machine. This engine is preferably of the hydro-carbon type, but any other source of power may be employed.

A super-structure 5 is mounted upon the platform 1 and a shaft 6 is journaled thereon. A pulley 7 is fixed to the shaft 6.and

a pulley 8 is fixed to the shaft of the engine 4. A shift-able belt 9 is trained around the pulleys 7 and 8, and is adapted to transmit rotary motion from the-engine shaft tothe shaft 6. A'con 10 is fixed vto the intermediate portionof the shaft 6 and acone 11 is ]o urnaled upon the superstructure 5 with its axis parallel to the axis of the cone 10.

' These cones have their smaller ends disposed in opposite directions and a shiftable belt 12 is trained around the peripherie'sof the vsaid cones. A lever 13 is fulcrumed upon the super-structure 5 and is provided with down# wardly disposed fingers 111 whichare located at the opposite edges of the upper run of the belt 12, and between the cones 10 and 11.

Therefore it will 'be seen that' by swinging the lever 13 the belt 12 may be shifted along the cones 10 and 11, so that the rate of speed at which the cone 11 may rotate, is varied with relation tothe rate of speed at which I the cone 10 rotates. Tnbther Words, the cone 10 rotates at a constant rate of speed,

while by the lever mechanism and the beltV described, the rate of speed at which the cone 11 rotates, may be regulated. A shaft 15 is journaled for rotation upon the super-structure 5, and a gear Wheel with a gear the cone 11. A sprocket wheel 18 is fixed to the shaft 16 and a sprocket wheel 19 is fixed to the axle of the traction wheels 2. -A

16 is carried by the said shaft 15. The 'gear Wheel 16 meshes f wheel 17 fixed to the shaft of' sprocket chain 20 is trained around the sprocket Wheels 18 and 19, and is adapted to transmit rotary motion from the shaft 15 to the axle of the wheels 2. Therefore Ait will be seen that means is provided for propeL lin the machine at a desired rate of speed.

master shaft 21 is journaled upon the ico a wormgear T may be belted up with any convenient rotative part of the gin. Any suitable means (not shown) may beA provided for operating the shaft of the gin saws from the shaft of the engine .The condenser casing has a receiving opening in communication with the discharge outlet of the gin 50, and a Iforaminous cylinder 59 is journaled for rotation inthe condenser casing 5S. An inclined board 60 is arranged to coperate with the v,cylinder 59 for removino the bat of cotton therefrom and for passing the same between the presenting rolls ot' a press box hereinafter to be described. As in icated in F1o-s, l and 3 of the drawing, a train of `gear wheels 6l ceiving end of the press box 62 and the de- Clt livery end of the condenser casing 58. These rolls 68 have attached to the inner portions of their peripheries the inner or forward ends of flexible strips 64. The-outer or rear ends of these strips are attached one to the upper forward. portionof the press box (S2, andthe other 'to the lower forward portion of the said box. Theshafts of the rolls 63 are provided with gear wheels 6.5 best seen in Fig. 4 of the drawing and the Vgear wheel (E6 is journaled upon the side of the vsuperstructure 5, and meshes with the upper and lower gear wheels 65.

Means is provided for-causingthe rolls 63 to describe partial rotations' alternately in opposite directions, and this means' will',

now be explained. A gear wheel 67 is fixed to the shaft ofthe wheel 6G and ineslies with the gear wheel GS mounted by a, shaft 69 which in turn is journaled in the upper portion of the super-structure 5. 70 is loosely journal/ed upon the shaft 69, and a belt pulley 7l is fixed to the shaft 21. A straight belt 72 is passed around the pulleys 70 and 7l, and is adapted to transmit rotary movement from the shaft 2l to the said pulley 70. A belt pulley 73 is loosely journaled uponthe shaft (it) and a belt pulley 74 is iixod to' the shaft 2l. A crossed belt .75

is trained around the pulleys 73 and 73:, andy is adapted to transmit rotary movement from the shaft Q1 to the pulley 73 whereby the pulley 7S is rotated in the reverse direc tion from that in whioh the pulley 70 rotates. 'lhe pulleys 70 and73 carry upon their inner faces clutch members 76, as best seen in liigj. T the drawing, and a .clutch member 77 is slidably mounted upon the intermediate portion of the shaft (39',- but is A belt pulleyv constrained; to rotate in unison withi the same. A bar 78 1s slidably mounted in lthevupper portion of the super-structure 5, and

is provided with a yoke 79 which engages the opposite' side portions of the clutch mem` ber 77 in the usual manner. A shaft S0 is journaled for rotation at the opposite si.

of the super-structure 5 from the pulleys 70 and 73 and is provided with an arm Sl which -is pivotally connected. at its upper ,end with a projecting end portion of the bar 78. A tappet 82 is fixed to the shaft 80, and

located between lugs 83 carried at the adjacent side'o/il the press box 62, said tappet 82 projecting into the path of movement of the said lugs.

Presuming now that the clutch member 77 is in engagement with the clutch member 7 6 upon the wheel 70, when this is so, the tappet 82 is downwardly disposed with relation to the axis of the shaft 80, but `the operating gearing of the press box is so arranged that the. lower forward end of the said press box 62 is moving in a forward direction. This is due-to the fact that the shaft 69 is held by theclutch member '77 in xed relation to the pulley 70, and as the saidpulley is rotated,

'as has been hereinbefore explained, the shaft 69 rotates in unison with the same in one direction, and this rotary movement is transgmitted through the gear wheel G8 to the gear wheel 67 and through the gear wheel 66. The gear. wheels`65 are rotated in opposite directions which at this time will Wind the flexible strip G4 upon the lowermost roll G3 and unwind the strip 64 from the uppermost rolll. This winding and unwinding of the strips 64 swings the press box 62 upc-nits pivot. When. the lowermost'lug 83 comes in contact with the end of the tappet 82 the 1 said tappet is swungl so that the shaft is partiall-y rotated, and the bar 78 is moved longitudinally whereby the yoke 7S) carries the clutch member 77 away from lthe wheel-70 and engages the same with the wheel 73. :inasmuch as the wheel 73 is rotated in the opposite direction from that in which the wheel 70 rotates, as has'been hereinbefore explained, the shaft 69 is reversed 4in its rotation and through the intervening parts reverse movement occurs so that the uppermost lug S3 upon the press box 62 moves down and engages the end of the tappet 82 which is now upwardly disposed and swings the same and partially lrotates the shaft 80. Therefore it will be seen that means is provided for automaticallycausing theforward end of the press box 62 to swing vertically.

lt has been hereinbefore stated that the machine is adaptedto operate simultanef onsly upoufour rows ofstandingcotton; An operator occupies each of the seats 48 and as the machine passes alongthe rows they direct the branches of the cottonplants Carrying the boils against the sides of the pulling rolls 44 and 45 which are maintained in a state of rotation by the shafts 41, intermeshing gear Wheels 42 and 43, and the shaft 35. As the liber is engaged by the rolls 44 and 45, it is pulled between the said rolls and the fiber is thus removed from the boll. Fromthe rolls 44 and 45, this liber is passed into the receiving opening of the. branch pipes 33. Inasmuch as the suction fans create suction draft through the said branch pipes 33 and the pipes 32, the cotton is carried to the fans 25 and thence is forced through the pipes into the feeder 31. From the feeder 31 the cotton is passed down into the gin in which the fiber is removed from the seed and the seed is deposited in thetrough 56. The liber is carried around by the saws 51 and is operated upon by the dotling brush 52 which passes the same to the periphery of the ,cylinder 59 in the condenser casing 5S. From the cy1inder`59 the cotton is removed on an inclined plane, in the form of a bat and passed between the introducing rolls 63 of the press box 62. Inasmuch as the said press box is reciprocating vertically at its forward end as has been hereinbefore explained, the said bat is folded vertically in the press box and as it is continued to be fed in, the folds are pushed toward the delivery end of the ress box 62, and when a sufficient quantity has been accumulated bale bands and ties-may be applied to the saine and thus the bale completed and isovenl tually ejected from the press box 62 during the formation of another bale therein.

lt has been stated that the forward wheels are dirigible, and any suitable means may be provided for steering the said wheels. That shown in the accompanying drawings con sists of a tiller 84 having its handle end located above the plat-form 1, and having fixed to its lower end an arm 85. This arm 85 is pivotally connected with cross bars 36 at points intermediate the 4ends thereof, and the said cross bars in turn are pivotally connected at their outer ends with arms 87 which are fixed to the inner end portions of pivoted spindles 88 upon which the said Wheels 3 are journaled. Therefore it will be seen that by swinging the tiller 84 the arm 85 carried thereby is swung so that the bars 86 are moved longitudinally and the arms 87 are swung simultaneously in the same direction/ which swings the spindles 88 and thevwheelzsA l are steered. f'

Haring thus described the invention, what I rlailn as new, and desire to secure by llietters Patent is:,

1. .ln a cotton harvester, the combination with a main frame, of a suction tube'mounted thereon, branch tubes having their rear ends pivotally fitted in anc'lfflboinmunicating" laterally with the opposite .sides of the sub; tion tube about a common' pivotalcenter and extending forwardly therefrom, cotton-picking devices mounted on the outer 'sides oi the f `branch tubes, means to prevent lateral move-v ment of the branch tubes, and 'means to create a suction through the tubes;4- ,y

ln a cotton harvester, thecombination with a main frame, of a suction tube mounted thereon, branch tubes pivotally connected with and extending laterally from the opposite sides of .the suction tube, and supporting members for the branch tubes pivotally-nonl nected with the main frame and engaging the said main frame to be held against latsov tube and extending forwardly therefrom-1 and having lateralolfsets at their inner ends:

pivotally engaging the lower end of the suc tion tube, supporting arms for the said branch tubes having stops at their innerends` engaging the mainframe and pivotally ab` tached to the main frame in axial alineinen'` with the pivotal connection between the suf tion tube and the branch tubes, cotton pic o ing devices at the outer ends et the bran :h tubes and said supporting arms, and inei hanisin ou the supporting arms for operltg-v ing said picking devices.

4. In a cotton harvestenthe combination of a main ltrarne, a suction tube mounted thereon, a shaft j o-urnaled in the main trai ne and extending transversely through the lower end of the suction tube, supporti ig arms pivotally mounted on said shaft a: 1d projecting forwardly from the main trai ie and havingtheir inner ends forming stops fitting against the main frame, branch tub as secured to the innersides of said supporting arms and having their inner ends offset laterally and pivotally engaged in the lower end of the suction tube, cotton picking rolls at the outer ends of the said supporting arms, and gearing carried by the supporting arms and connecting the saifdshaft with the piclring rolls.

In testimony whereof, I ahxjmy signature in presence of two witnesses. n,

EVLLIAM HEFFLE Y. [n s] 1Witnesses W. C. MATTHEWS, H. Hasrann.

roo

lll) 

